From sci.chem Thu Nov 28 16:31:05 1996
From: "spencer davis" <00s0davis@bsuvc.bsu.edu>

	Let's see, the stupidest thing that I have ever seen anyone do in a lab
was when I was an undergrad in my analysis class. We where doing
titration's with NaOH and had to make the stock up from NaOH pellets.
Anyway there was a guy in the class who tended to be quite sloppy and he
had spilled water all over the bench. He had also spilled the pellets all
over the bench. I think you can see where this is going, in the process of
completing his lab work, he rests his arm in one of the puddles. After a
few minuets, he calmly goes over to the instrutor (developing _really_
nasty looking caustic burns by this time) and asks him, "What should I do
about this?" This idiot never even thought of rinsing his arms first. I
suppose that's not too surprising considering that he never thought of
cleaning his work area ether, but hey.
	Sorry it's not more exciting. Have you ever wondered why we (chemists) as
a group sit around and tell each other these stories? It seems to be a
constant, whenever I go to a new lab, one of the first things that happens
is trading of lab accident anecdotes....
			Spencer